Improvement in combined current-wheels and condensing-engines



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HATHE'RLY SPEAR, 0F CAPE ELIZABETH, MAINE.

Letters Patent N 100,946, dated March 15, 1870.v

IMPROVEMENT IN COMBINED CURRENT-WHEELS AND CONDENSING-ENGINES.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same To all whom it may concern Beit known that I, HATHERLY SPEAR, ot' Cape Elizabeth, inthe county of Cumberland, and State of Maine, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tidal Vessels forGondensing Air; and I do .hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and

exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters of reference inarkedthereon, which forma part of this specification.

The nature of my invention consists in the construction and arrangement of a device by the use of which the power ot' ruiming streams can be readily utilized and transmitted to any-point desired, wit-hout the aid of mill-dams` or any of the usualexpensive icontrivances.

In order` to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to make and use the saine, I will now proceed to describe its construct-ion and operation, referring to the annexed drawings, which represent a transverse vertical section of my machine.

Arepresents a hollow case or box, square on the ontside but round on the inside, it being in fact a square box open at both ends, inside of which is placed av cylinder, the space between the two being closed up so as to form an air-tight chamber. The case A is made so as to withstand a considerable pressure. At one end it is provided with a daring mouth. i 'A Within the case A is placed a water-wheel, B, so constructed that if the case is submerged in armming stream the water will turn the wheel.

On the outside of the rimof the wheel B are cogs,

which gear. with acog-wheel, C, mounted upon a shaft having suitable bearings in standards I) I) on top of the case, and the wheel C projecting downward through an opening. in the saine.v

`Upon the end of the shaft on which the cog-wheel p C is placed, is a crank, a, and this crank is, by arod, b, connected with one end 'of the walking-beam E, the

other end of said beam being connected with the piston of au air-condensing engine, G.

The condensing-engine G is by a tube connected with. a receiverH, and from this receiver the condensed air is conducted through suitable conduits to any point desired.

A governor is also attached tothe case A, through which the condensed air may pass, when desired, into the case A.

The machine thus constructedv is sunk in a stream at any point desired, by allowing water to pass into l the case 'A through an opening in the bottom, said opening being provided with a valve that can bc opened and closed at will fromthe top.

The caseshould not'be sunk more than to the top of the wheel, and to prevent this, condensed air is :ul-

mitted into the case until it obtains the desired position. It is then secured by means of posts driven through tubes I at one or more of its corners. 0r, in case the tide effects the stream in which it is placed, it may be anchored so as to always present its mout-h to the stream or current.

'lhc water now passing through, setsthe wheel'B in motion, and this by the means ot' tbe cog-WheelC and walking-beam E operates the condensing-engine G, the condensed air being carried oli` to any point where it is intended to be used, after rst having passed through the receiver H. v

This receiver may be made in various ways, and I do not now lay claim to any particular mode oi' constructing the same. I will, however, here remar-h that iii-places where iron is scarce but lumber plentiful it may be made of wood in such a manner as to withstand all the pressure it is intended to be subjected to.

If at times the power of the current should be found to be great, the case can be readily raised up to a certain height, lessening the power or speed of the waterwheel by the diminished quantity of water acting upon the same. Ihe surplus power contained in the receiver is at such times broughtinto requisition, as will readily be understood. p

The machine can readily be raised by t-he admission of condensed air into the case, so'thatit can be taken over shallow places, and submerged again wherever desired.

By considering the immense amount of power that is daily and hourly going to waste in our rivers and streams, the advantages of this machine will be readily appreciated.

' It is not necessary to build any mill-dams or have any fall of water. Anywhere where a stream vis deep enough to submergc oreven partially submerge my machine it can be applied, and by the usc of one machine enough power can be obtained to run a number ot' mills, &c.

In rapid streams or shallow rapids I may add wheels outside of the case, and also have more than one condeusingengine, so that the power of the current will be fully utilized. In this case, if it should be desired to use only a small amount of condensed air, one engine only may be allowed to condense the air while the others do not, although the entire machinery is in operation, and hence there will be no more air condensed than what is necessary for the purposes desired.

I do not confine myself to any particular form or shape oi' the water-wheel or wheels used, as they may be constructed in any manner deemed most advantageous. Neither do I confine myself to anyparticulur governor, although it is my intention more particularly to use the governor patented by Robert Spear, November 30, 1869, as l consider that the best for the purpose.

The case A need not be constructed in precisely the shape above described. 1t may be formed in any manner, only so as to be hollo'w, or have a chamber' to hold water or compressed air, or both.

Having thus fully described my invention,

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination and arrangement oi' the case A,

Witnesses:

T. H. ALEXANDER, JOHN A. ELLIS. 

